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Sunday, April 18, 2010

Why the indian government banned the play "mai nathuram godse bolthi hu",just because gandhi being the father of the nation.There are many unsung heroes we forgot,Veer Savarkar, Lala lajpatrai, Subhashchandra Bose, Bhagat singh, Rajguru, Tansirani, Shivaji, Rana Pratap and thousands of other freedom fighters.

After writing a post on most profolic hero sachin i choosen to write about Nathuram Godse,it looks strange but it means much for me.Most of you can ask the question why Iam writing about the convicts of the assassination of our father of nation.

But Gandhi's assassination was different. Not only were his killers Hindu, they killed a man who had by then come to be regarded at home and abroad as an "apostle of peace" and symbolised the unique doctrine of 'non-violence'. In those early days of freedom, it was unthinkable that anybody would dare raise a finger,leave alone a gun, at Gandhi. Yet Nathuram Vinayak Godse did the unthinkable, with more than a little helpfrom Narayan Apte, Vishnu Karkare, Gopal Godse, Madanlal Pahwa and Digambar Badge. The historic trialthat followed - it was held in Delhi's Red Fort -- captured the imagination of the nation, unleashing sympathy and hate for the conspirators in equal measure. Barring Badge, who was either openly spat upon or secretlyreviled for turning approver -- turncoats may win reprieve from the state, but they are looked down upon by all.The first book of any substance on Gandhi's assassination was Stanley Wolpert's Nine Hours to Rama,published in 1962 and promptly banned by the Government of India; the ban still remains in place, althoughyou can order a copy from amazon.com. It's largely an anodyne version of the killing that shocked the entireworld, but Wolpert's suggestion that perhaps those responsible for Gandhi's protection failed in their task riled- and continues to rile -- Government. Nine Hours to Rama was made into an eponymous film by MarkRobson in 1963; DVD versions of the film are also available at amazon.com. Manohar Malgonkar's book, The Men Who Killed Gandhi, a gripping recreation of India's partition,independence and Gandhi's assassination on January 31, 1948, was first published during Mrs Gandhi'sEmergency when manuscripts were cleared by censors who merrily ran their blue pencil through text whichprobably they could not even comprehend. "This made it incumbent upon me to omit certain vital facts,"Malgonkar writes in the introduction to a new and lavishly illustrated edition of the book published by Roli,"such as, for instance, Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar's secret assurance to Mr LB Bhopatkar, that his client, Mr VDSavarkar, had been implicated as a murder suspect on the flimsiest ground." The excised portions find theirrightful place in the new edition, as do rare photographs and documents from the National Archives.Nathuram Godse, Apte and their accomplices look remarkably relaxed during the trial, unconcerned aboutthe possibility of being sentenced to death - eventually Godse and Apte were hanged; Karkare, Gopal Godse,Pahwa were sentenced to life imprisonment.They never regretted their deed. Those were terrible days. Hindu and Sikh refugees from Pakistan were struggling to keep body and soultogether. Many of them had lost their loved ones in the partition riots -- women were raped in front of theirhusbands and children; young girls were abducted; men were disembowelled; trains arrived laden with deadbodies; people fleeing marauders were set upon with ferocious brutality. Madanlal Pahwa, a young refugee,Malgonkar writes, "reached a place called Fazilka, in Indian territory, and discovered that another refugeecolumn in which his father and other relatives had set out, had fared much worse. They had been attacked byMuslim mobs: 'Only 40 or 50 had survived out of 400 or 500...'." Delhi was flooded by nearly one millionrefugees, all of them desperately looking for food and shelter. They were distraught and traumatised, unableto figure out why their lives had been turned upside down in so gruesome a manner. Nor could they understand the rationale behind protecting Delhi's Muslims. What left them aghast was Gandhi's insistence that Hindu and Sikh refugees should be sent back to Pakistan and Muslims who had left India be broughtback. It didn't make sense. Nor did the vicious blood-letting that followed. Meanwhile, Pakistan had launchedits mission to smash and grab Jammu & Kashmir and was demanding that India hand over Rs 55 crore, itsshare of the cash reserve inherited from the departing British colonial Government. The proverbial last straw was Gandhi's threat to go on a fast to force the Government of India to acceptPakistan's demand. In all fairness, it needs to be recalled that Jawaharlal Nehru was opposed to the idea: He famously declared that giving the money to Pakistan would mean providing it with "sinews of war". The old man was not listening: In the end, Gandhi had his way although people were aghast. But did this gross act ofinjustice to the people of India and the callous disregard for the sentiments of millions of refugees --half-a-million people perished in the violence, 12 million were rendered homeless -- justify Nathuram Godse'saction? What inspired Narayan Apte, son of a well-known historian and Sanskrit scholar, to decide onJanuary 13 (the day Gandhi declared he would go on a fast to press Pakistan's demand for Rs 55 crore) thathe must turn into a killer? What was Madanlal Pahwa's role in the conspiracy? And why did Badge turnapprover? Entire generations have come of age since The Men Who Killed Gandhi was first published. Children aretaught in school that Gandhi was killed, not why Godse and Apte and the others did what they did.

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comments:

i am very sorry still you didn't understand Gandhiji. He never wanted partition, he never accepted it, he never considered it as partition. all he aspired is Hindu Muslim unity. He wanted Sikh and Hindus to go back and Muslim to stay in India, so that there could be unity among Communities and Religion. He wanted to pay that amount so that riot could stop. It is understandable that Godse didnt understand because of circumstance, but it is unfortunate that educated people like you think like this. And please don't be proud of the man who killed Truth, Peace and Unity.

I fully agrre with Nambiar. Nathu didnt understand gandhi. and in fact, circumstances were like that person of such capapbilities like Nathu coudnt understand gandhi. It was an accident, nathu culdnt understnd the saint and commited crime. nathu did wrong, but circumstances make person a devil. Had he could be given chances to learn abt gandhi true value earlier, he wont act as he did. History's irony!!

Godse has his own argument and he is right too to a certian extent. He sees only one aspect of his suffering or his Hindus suffering. Godse has to understand the things in broder perspective. Godse holds Gandhi responsible for such a macabre. Godse did not understand the people(both Hindus and Muslims) who like him were responsible for such a mayhem. Every person invoolved in riots had their legitmate reason but a reason of narroewdness lacking the haumanity. Godse too has some points like Ganhiji was involved in Muslim appeasment. I sincerely believe that Gandhi tried to appease Muslims but he did not tried to hurt the snetiments of Hindu. Circumstances went of out of hand. Gandhiji's non-violence got a hit durung partition because humanity, humility failed. Again it is baecause of the people like Godse it happened eventhough he is corect in his logic.

Godse has his own argument and he is right too to a certain extent. He sees only one aspect of his suffering or his Hindus suffering. Godse has to understand the things in broader perspective. Godse holds Gandhi responsible for such a macabre. Godse did not understand that the people(both Hindus and Muslims) like him were responsible for such a mayhem. Every person involved in riots had their legitimate reason but a reason of narrowness lacking the humanity. Godse too has some points like Gandhiji was involved in Muslim appeasement. I sincerely believe that Gandhi tried to appease Muslims but he did not tried to hurt the sentiments of Hindu. Situation went out of hand. Gandhiji's non-violence got a hit during partition because humanity, humility failed. Again it is because of the people like Godse it happened, eventhough he is correct in his logic. Sorry for typo earlier.

good.. at least one person i met who understands the sentiments of the person who chose to end life of the false mahatma at the cost of his own life. his act was well thought and was directed at welfare of the country. why India still practices double standards in politics and appeasement of minority at the peril of destruction of majority Hindus is becoz of teachings of the mahatma.. hope we as India come of age sooner

I fully agree to the post. It's a pity that most of the people believe in advertisements and the repetitive history that has been taught to us in textbooks. I am giving u a link, that I want all of u to read, with no pre-notions in ur mind, of historical facts taught in textbooks and other sources, and have ur facts about the 'wrong' history corrected!

Just one thing more, don't u think that we should at least have one day each for the greatest heroes like Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad , and many more like them? Hasn't the govt always ignored them for Nehru, Gandhi etc?There is not even one day for the great 'Krantikaris' but there are Gandhi Jayanti, Teachers' day, Children's Day etc for the congress leaders.India isn't free even now!!!

Totally agree with this article, if Ghodse & his team not done that on that time, their would very high chance of another partition expected & it was Hydrabad. before doing so Ghodse & his team been to Hydrabad & then comes to no actual situation. I really feel, instead of knowing the actual motive behind it we should not call anyone murderer. because of Ghodse team & Sardar Patel, we can see Hydrabad within India. congress Govt will never praise such things....

The then 300 million is 1500 million today and the land mass shrink is magnanimous. The same Pakistan which got its whims reign with no control or harness on its bridles. Everything aftermath went haywire and Indians suffer today paying a very huge price on blindly following the ideals of Gandhiji. Had this had been brooded deep diligently on Gandhiji's as well Godse's stance, Vallabh Bhai's ideology India would not need to fret like a dry weather leaf.